Select operation: Care: Cancel
by Demon Sah'Kala
Summary: X introduces a new Maverick Hunter to Zero on her first day in the Maverick Hunters Headquarters. To Zero, the pink-armor wearing reploid is the worse thing that ever happened to their organization. Based after MegaMan X4.


"Everyone loves compliments, especially me." – QueenQeeko.

**Author's blah:** I seemed to have revived my long time obsession with MegaMan. So, poor X and Zero are now going under my torture. 

**Author's summery:**  X introduces a new Maverick Hunter to Zero on her first day in the Maverick Hunters Headquarters. To Zero, the pink-armor wearing reploid is the worse thing that ever happened to their organization. Based after MegaMan X4. 

**Disclaimer:**  Normally I'm suppose to apologize and state that I am merely borrowing the characters of someone else's creation. Well I'll do the last two. MegaMan, X, Zero, and the whole MegaMan concept is solely owned by Capcom. All rights belong to them, and the only character that is mine is the cute one placed in the story to annoy the Hells out of Zero.

**Select operation: Care – Cancel.**

Chapter One – Pink Armor And Blonde Pigtails

By Demon Sah'kala.

Zero's head shot up from where he had been glaring at the hallway floor and the poor reploid behind him nearly ran into him due to the sudden stop. Zero watched with slitted eyes as the little green armored rookie slinked away cautiously, and once the terrified individual had escaped, Zero then looked behind him back down the hall.

Nothing terribly unusual. Just Hunters and Spotters walking up and down, talking about their usual insignificant gossip topics. Zero returned to staring at the ground, totally forgetting where he was originally going. No, he'd felt something. It was like there was a new…a new signal in the headquarters. Well, there were nearly thirty of those every week, if his own presence there had anything to do with it. X and Zero being the symbols they were attracted new recruits around the clock. But this was too different. It just…stood out like a sore thumb.

After a moment, Zero noticed that two Spotters were standing a short distance away, looking thoroughly worried about the red armored squad commander. Zero growled, and the two reploids fled. The famous Maverick Hunter sighed. Maybe he shouldn't stand in the middle of the hallway where everyone would notice him. Well, it wasn't like Zero was particularly hard to miss, but he would be guaranteed a less likely chance of someone attempting to ask him how everything was going. 

Yes, definitely a better idea to get out of everyone's way. Zero opted to make himself part of the wallpaper, and leaning up against said wall, he folded his arms and closed his eyes to think. Now, getting back to that signal. It kind of just appeared out of nowhere, and if he wasn't mistaken (and Zero rarely admitted to being wrong), then he could have sworn that it was gradually getting closer. It was similar to that of a Hunter, but it lacked some qualities that seemed to be replaced with Spotter attributes. 

Odd.   

It could simply have been Zero getting worked up after months without a single Maverick attack, but he would never admit that he was worrying. Zero at that moment couldn't help but glance at the ceiling above him and its increasingly large hole. The cause of its constant growth would probably be due to Zero and Signas not quite agreeing with each other on a regular basis. After Zero has been either thrown out, blasted out, or simply walked out and blown up the ceiling purely because he felt like it, Signas decided he'd wait decent intervals between each repair session. Alia often scolded him for wrecking the place, but it normally fell on deaf ears.

"Pah, it only needs a little glue," Zero muttered. 

Looking out through one of the vast windows that took up an impressive amount of the wall, Zero gazed out at the city. So still, and yet lively. He could see a crowd of fans down by one of the compound's many gates, all trying to get past the dozen or so guards posted there. The Maverick Hunter sighed again and turned back into the hallway.

Zero stalked along the corridor rubbing his temples. Maybe the red armored Hunter was just being too paranoid. 

"Hey, Zero!" 

Definitely too paranoid. 

Zero jumped foot in the air, spinning around to whoever had crept up on him.

"Hey. hey, hey! Take it easy, Z!" X put his hands up in apology and grinned nervously. He was in little position to move, what with a Z saber sitting under his chin. The two reploids stared at each other for a full minute, and then Zero put the weapon away. 

"What is it?" Zero asked, not unkindly. X noticed that his friend seemed a little disturbed, but quickly forgot it when he remembered the task at hand. 

"Oh yeah, anyway, I wanted to introduce you to someone, Zero," X smiled. Zero gave him an odd look. 

"Well, where is he?" the red armored reploid looked around his friend. There was no one else around besides those getting from Location A to Location B via the hallway. Who did X mean? A new janitor? 

X's smile grew as a reploid that was ever so slightly smaller than himself stepped out from behind him into Zero's full view. Zero did very little but gape at how well this… thing before him had hidden itself. 

"Hello Sir Zero!" it said. 

Zero stared.

"Uh, you okay there, man?" X asked after a moment. 

Zero blinked.

"Hey Zero! It's your cue to say something bad ass now!" X called into Zero's ear, shaking him by the shoulder. 

Pink.

It was wearing pink armor.

_She_ was wearing **PINK** armor.

"Excuse me, but what the Hell is that?" Zero asked X, pointing at the reploid and not daring to take his eyes of her. The girl just cocked her head to the side. Her shiny pink armor was adorned with all the extra parts one would expect to see on any Maverick Hunter's battle wear. What Zero couldn't get past were the colors mostly; as well as pink, the rest of it was purple, white and yellow. Let's see, what else was simply embarrassing? Ah yes, the two blonde pigtails coming out of the top back halves of her helmet. No, this will not do. 

"This, Zero, is one of our new Maverick Hunters. She was the highest scoring recruitment this year, so she's been placed right under our noses for her first few missions," X told him, smiling at the girl. The girl beamed.  Zero frowned. 

"Whoa up a second. Why is she so special?"

"'She', has a name!" the girl retorted, rolling her eyes. Zero growled.

"Now, now, Z," X patted the taller reploid on the back, "don't get too irate, it's not nice for your features. Allow me to introduce you to Keddle. Keddle, I won't insult your intelligence; we all know who Zero is."

"But of course, X! Nice to meet you Sir Zero!" Keddle squeaked delightedly. Zero cringed.

"Yeah, heya. Listen, just call me Zero," he requested, forcing a small smirk and attempting to be nice.  

"Yes sir, Sir Zero!" 

"Eugh…"

"So anyway, Zero," X continued, "I've been showing Keddle around today, and I was wondering…" Zero gave X his trademark don't-you-dare warning look.

"I mean uh, well you see, Zero, I have a new recruitment speech I have to brush up on and…" 

"And…?"

"And I kinda need someone…"

"That someone being me?"

"Yeah... I need you…"

"To?"

"…To finish showing Keddle the rounds…" 

"…"

"…Zero?"

"Is that all?"

"I think so."

"Okay."

"You'll do that?" 

"Nope."

"Aw c'mon! Pleeeeeeeeeaaase?" X pleaded, bowing his head and putting his hands together.

"I promise that I will be no trouble at all!" Keddle reassured. Zero stopped and looked directly at her. 

"Who says you already haven't?" he smirked. Keddle blinked. Zero raised an eyebrow. X blanched. 

Ever so slowly, the pig-tailed Hunter's lower lip quivered and her eyes began to look very wet. Just as X was ready to panic, Zero figured out too late that he'd upset the apple cart.

"Uh… Hey Ked—"

"WWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ZERO DOESN'T LIKE MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

Zero and X rushed to Keddle's sides and tried to hush her down as she began sobbing loudly into her hands. Zero glanced around.

_'Aw Hell. Stop gawking you dratted morons,'_ Zero thought as most of the hallway's occupants stared at the awkward scene. He couldn't help but snarl as one Spotter came a little too close, probably to ask what happened. 

"It's okay Keddle, Zero was only joking! Really!" X implored, holding the girl by the shoulders. Keddle looked up from her hands with wet eyes.

"…Really…?" she asked, turning to Zero. The red armored Hunter gulped and nodded uncomfortably. Keddle sniffed and wiped the tears out of one eye. Zero, haven't no idea on how to deal with this, grabbed X's arm and gave an almighty tug, almost yanking the Blue Bomber off his feet.

"We'll just let you dry your eyes for a second, okay?" X managed to say as Zero dragged him away. Zero was muttering the whole way. Once he was sure they were out of the girl's hearing range, he spun X around to in front of him. 

"What the Hell was that?!" Zero demanded, "You tell me that she scored the highest out of the year's trainees on her first few days and she can't even take a joke?" 

"Not so loud," X hissed, "she's kinda a big fan of yours, and I guess she's a little sensitive…" X stopped and looked at Zero closely. He apparently hadn't heard a word X had just said, and was instead staring back up the hall at Keddle, whom was now into deep conversation with a blue haired Spotter.

"Oh. I get it. She's a Spotter too."

"Pardon?"

"Keddle isn't really a Hunter is she? Just has a new uniform for Medics or something, right?"

"I'm… afraid not, Zero…"

"Oh crap…"

"Look, just try to be nice to her, okay? For me?" X sighed. Zero folded his arms.

"Yeah, okay," he said, "just keep her on her leash."

"Zero!"

"Well I don't want her to hang off my arm asking for compliments all the time! You know I can be nice but it's not a hobby!"

X folded his arms and thought for a moment, "I don't see what's so wrong with Keddle."

"How about I don't need a fan working in our organization?" Zero snapped, and then thought a little himself, "Hey, wait a sec, is she in your unit or mine?" X laughed at his friend's worried expression.

"Don't worry," he said, "Keddle is part of my unit."

"Good!" Zero exclaimed, "Then I'll be sure to stay the Hell away from you guys on the next mission!"

X rolled his eyes and made way back over to the recovered rookie. Keddle instantly brightened upon seeing the blue reploid's return, and began chatting again as happy as could be. 

Zero remained a few yards away, studying the girl in silence. With every word that came out of her constantly moving mouth, another figurative movement accompanied it. And it was annoying. Zero narrowed his eyes. It wasn't like he didn't trust this Keddle, but she seemed... out of place. A happy-go-lucky rookie like that didn't seem to fit in Zero's mind for a suitable Hunter, nor would he recommend such a character to change a light bulb. 

So what was it about her that was so annoying? The color of her armor? The pigtails? The huge blue eyes? The squeaky voice? The chirpy attitude and its idiotic grin? Zero thought about them for a moment, deciding they were all to blame. Yuck. No way, too cutesy for him. Zero harrumphed and began marching away, only to find himself suddenly tugged back.

"Are you going to show me around?" Keddle asked, staring up at Zero with big puppy-dog eyes. Zero opened and closed his mouth a few times, spluttering and trying to think of either a believable excuse or a painful shutdown. He glanced around to X with a help-me-out-here look, but jaw-dropped as X grinned, gave him two thumbs up and bolted.

_'That little bastard,'_ Zero berated the blue armor wearing reploid in his thoughts, _'I'll get you for this, X.'_

"So! Where to first?" Keddle beamed, acting even cuter. Zero slapped a hand over his eyes. 

'Eugh…I SWEAR I'll get you for this, X…' 

**Author's blah:**  Okay, okay I know, to the point too much and too immediate. But I liked this (sorta) one. I think that now I've gotten the basic starting done I'll be able to go on with it fairly quickly, or at least I'm hoping. 

    ~Demon Sah'Kala.


End file.
